Only one day of work left until I drive up to Evansville to see friends and family. It's just over 100 miles from work but that feels like nothing to me. Less than 2 hours after I get off and I'm sitting on the back porch drinking a beer and bullshxtting.

We're probably going to go to the Tiki Hut for $1.25 Coors Lights and food again. Tiki is on a barge in the marina and you get a nice sunset every time. As an added bonus every waitress who works there is hot. It makes this dirty old man very happy. Kelsey especially. She's 5'11" and I'm 6"1" but her legs are longer than mine. Rarrrw!

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I've been exaggerating. The round trip to Chicago (with a slight detour to Indy) wasn't 1000 miles. It was 992.4 miles. The Merc is just over 75,000 so I need to change the oil. The weather has been perfect but I just can't get my ass in gear. Someone kick it for me please.

I came back from visiting friends and family on Saturday and there was a letter from the Tennessee Department of Environmental conservation waiting for me.

They had granted reciprocity with Kentucky so now I have a class 3 Wastewater license in Tennessee also.

I was 90% sure they would do it and I'm very glad they did. Number one I get the $100 application fee back from my employer now and I wouldn't have if they denied it. Number two I don't have to study for a damn test now.

The new job is going great I've been there since February the people I work with are wonderful. It's a little more work than I had at my last job but that just makes the day go faster so I'm not complaining.

So I went out to the mailbox today and I broke into a grin when I saw the power company bill came. I had no idea how much it was I was just happy that I could pay it and not worry anymore about that bill this month.

I guess it's because I spent a fair amount of my adult life scratching together money to pay bills at the last minute or even paying overdue charges.

I actually enjoy paying bills the day they come in. I mean actual Joy with a smile on my face.

I was expecting her to comment on how nice it looked but all she said was turn your head and cough.

I was in Nashville taking the physical for my job. They are hiring me full-time: no more temp status for me. I passed everything with flying colors except for the lung test. They said I have the lungs of an 80 year old. I really need to quit smoking.

The drive down to Nashville sucked because I hit two traffic jams. What should have been a 45-minute drive took over an hour and a half. I still made it on time because I left 2 hours early.

As soon as I was done with the physical I drove up to Evansville and saw my kids. They're getting along much better than they used to. They still squabble but nobody ends up crying.

Last week I got a text from my ex saying that my son accepted "The Lord Jesus Christmas as his Savior".

He was introduced to his church Sunday and put up for membership. He wanted me to go but I had to explain to him that I'm scheduled to work every Sunday for as long as I have this job. And the reason I work Sundays is so Jackie can go to Church with his family each week. I told him I'd try to make it to the baptism but no guarantees. I won't be a full time employee for at least 27 days and I don't know the time off policy for temp to hire.

My mom said to ask if he could be Baptized at night. I get off work at 3:30 and could be in town by 5:30 that night. I hope this is what happens because to be perfectly honest I really don't want to go and I don't want to lose any pay over somebody believing a fairytale.

I've been at it for 2 weeks now. Just started the third week today. The first week I was paper work and safety training. Last week I actually got to go to the plant and I'm starting to get a good handle on how to operate it. Today Was Easy Day because there was no lab. A couple of times I took the initiative and did things before my boss asked me. He's a good dude and he seems to like me. I think I made the right choice coming here.

It was great seeing the kids yesterday. I wish the ground hadn't been so sorry and so we could have went to the park but we play Monopoly and talk for a while. Watched School of Rock.

I'm listening to music while the clothes are in the dryer already ate my dinner and took a shower

Life is good and what's better is I don't have a feeling of impending doom that it's all going to come crashing down soon

I had to move for my new job and I found this place. I'm renting the top floor and there's a single guy renting the basement. The best feature is the fact that I have a garage. This is the cheapest place I could find that had one. Its in a pretty nice neighborhood centrally located and close to everything I need. It's about 20 minutes away from work.

to take a new one with a 54% raise. I'm still going to be a wastewater operator but now I'm going to be working for a Federal contractor at an Army base. I have to move but I'll be close enough to visit my kids every weekend. Instead of nights I'll be working 7:00am to 3:30 pm Sunday through Thursday.

I applied back in October and they contacted me January 11th. About 10 days later I had a panel interview with the head honcho, assistant honcho, engineer, clean water boss and waste water boss. After they interviewed me they said they would contact me in a week or two.

They called the next day and said they weren't going to pay me the $21.50 the job was advertised at they want to pay me $24. The recruiter told me I was only the second person they interviewed for the job.

They E-mailed me Monday and said the background checks and drug test were good and we agreed I will start Feb 29th

I work tonight and tomorrow and I get off at 7am Thanksgiving morning. My mom, her husband, and my sister are driving 5 hours north to my other sister's place at 8 am that day. I told them I'd think about it and I decided that I would rather be alone on Thursday so I can see my kids on Friday.

Also, they are not starting back until 8 or 9 am Saturday and I have to be to work at 7 pm Saturday night. I don't want to take the chance that I'll have to call in to work, especially since David just got off medical leave. I don't want him to re-injure himself.

One more thing- They say I could sleep on the way up there but I wouldn't. The back seat of a Jeep with two women chatting away- not gonna happen.

In car news- I replaced the headlight switch and posted a video on Youtube and my blog. If you've got 42 minutes you need to kill click the link.

I'm eating Tostitos original chips with Tostitos salsa con queso and even if you grab the biggest chip in the bag it will dip into the jar with 1 millimeter of clearance: no interruption in snacking pleasure.

I bought two window control switches from ebay on a whim because they were only $10. I hoped I would get lucky and it would fix the driver's window. Well, they weren't compatible so I contacted the seller. They refunded my money and told me to keep the switches. Not every supplier from China is out to screw you I've learned.

I'm still pleased I got a 15% raise even though I think they owe me 20 because they only had to give me 5. My boss thinks it's because 15% puts me at the top of my pay grade but he's going to find out for sure.

because sleepy's book was really good. My favorite story was "Don't bring us back" That was the only one that gave me chills. The other 14 are all really good but that story rings true to me so I guess that's why it got to me.I took about a week to read the whole book because when I read short storys I like to let them sink in rather than go through them like popcorn.

Journally stuff.

I'm off tomorrow night. I didn't think I'd be off until Tuesday but I had emailed Jerry and told him I didn't need Saturday but if he wanted the overtime he could have it. He said "I guess I need to take it when I can get it."

So now I'm off 1 day, work 2 days, off two days, work 2 days then off for 3. It's going to feel like a vacation after 3 1/2 months of six 12 hour days a week.

The guy who got a hernia the last week of July is finally coming back to work November 17th. I've been averaging six 12 hours days for 3 1/2 months now so just getting back to a regular schedule will feel like a vacation.

Speaking of vacation I want to take a road trip. Who would like a visit from snarf? YT Indiana will happen soon but I might extend the trip if I can string together a good plan.

It won't be for a month or so though. I want to catch up on my sleep, work on my bike and fix a few more little things on the Mercedes. Plus I need to take that car on a 2 hour road trip to my dad's before committing to a longer run. You never know what will happen to a 22 year old car.

On the first tank I drove it like a hotrod and got 17.6 mpg. This time I drove like an old man and got 20.73.

I decided to treat myself to a new car with the overtime money I've been saving. I've wanted a new car for a few years but didn't want to take out a loan. THe time was right now because I need to put about $1500 into my Ranger and it's only worth $1000. I'm keeping it for a while and may fix it later but that decision is for another time.

I bought a 1994 Mercedes E420 with the 4.2L V-8, Leather seats and only 67675 miles on it.

The ride is wonderful, as I imagine it was when new. The seats are the most comfortable I've ever sat in. The steering feel and handling are superb and it floats over the bumps but doesn't wallow.

There are a few minor problems. The driver's window won't go down, the mirror control switch is broken and there is a dent in the passenger rear. Nothing I can't handle.

The car was $3700+ 7% tax+ $199 Document "f*ck you" fee from the dealer for a total of $4158.

by studying on my own and going to take the test at a surface water school. I skipped going to the wastewater school because we are down a man due to injury and S from the south plant needs to go to school for his Class I at the same time G is going for his Class IV. There was no way for all three of us to go at the same time so I volunteered to just take the test two weeks earlier.

Now for the fun part. A year ago they raised the starting pay to 3 cents an hour less than what I made after 3 years. then this year they decided to give you a 10% raise for a class I, a 5% for a class 2, a 5% for a class 3 and a step up in pay grade for a class 4.

So now a guy with a little over a year experience and a class I is going to be paid more than me with a Class III and nearly 4 years.

Yesterday was nice. I tried to nap after work but couldn't fall aslep. Tim and I went and got the boat then washed it at Stacey's house because someone was parked out front of ours. It was cool, 67 degrees and cloudy. We didn't get out of the boat all day, just floated and talked. Well, that's wrong. It started sprinkling and Stacey wanted to go to mailbox where there was shelter. Tim said no, I can follow it on the radar and avoid the most of it. They got into an argument and Tim dropped the girls off at the dock. He called five minutes later to let them know the rain had stopped. They said they would wait in the car (she had drove separately) I thought she left) until it had all passed.

So Tim and I motored up and down the river having a good time talking about sh*t and drinking beer. We got hit with maybe 50 raindrops in the time it took for the girls to be brave enough to come back.

I had a really good visit with my kids today We did some origami, played with k'nex and talked about addiction. I'm glad I f*cked up. I want my kids to know what a struggle addiction is so that they go into life with their eyes open and make the right choices. I'm going to repost what I posted in the quitting thread and on Facebook later. OS will disappear and YT might outlast FB the way this crazy f'ed up world works.

On the last day of a 13 day stretch. Boating tomorrow.

I'm writing an album of country/southern rock songs. I think it's great stuff and it should go somewhere. I may be wrong but I don't give a f*ck because I'm having fun doing it Better than mourning the past.

Last night I texted my ex asking about birthday and Christmas ideas She asked me if my family was going to be here at birthday times and I told her my mom moves back here next Tuesday. She said "If you wouldn't feel too awkward you should be there too." I replied "I've been waiting 6 years for you to say that" She sent back a . This will be the first time I've seen my kids on their birthday since the divorce.

I've been wanting to do an "Ask me my opinion of you" thread but I get vapor lock in the brain so I can't just spit it out, I have to talk about me, my favorite subject to prime the pump. And that's still no guarantee that I'll come up with something right away. It may take a few minutes, a few hours, weeks, idk. I'll keep bumping this till I get to everyone.

Journal stuff.

I haven't smoked in 14 days and 12 hours. Go me.

I'm on day 6 with 7 days to go of working from 7pm to 7am. I could have had Saturday off this week but I told Jerry if he wanted a 3 day weekend it was up to him because he gave me the last two Saturdays off. Jerry took the 3 days and I'm fine with working until the 12th.

I told my boss I started studying for my Class III Wastewater License on the first but screw that noise. The test isn't until October 9th so I'm waiting until it's 30 days out.

Had my annual physical at the VA today. Thank dog I'm not fifty yet so nothing was shoved up my ass. My labs are ok even though I forgot to fast before the blood draw. During the exam the doc asked if I wanted to quit smoking. I said yes, I've been trying on an off all year. So she hooked me up with 2 two week boxes of patches. $78 worth (pre tax) for an $8 co-pay. Socialized medicine good.

So next on her agenda was my drinking habits. Like a pro she just asked an open ended question. "How much do you drink in a week?"

I knew the right answer but I told her the truth anyway. I don't lie to my doctors about anything because they can't help you if you're not honest. So I stuck to the best policy even though I think nothing's wrong, knowing full well the pain in the ass it was going to cause me.

I suspected what I was doing with OK Cupid was probably wrong, but I didn't know it until I trudged through a half dozen pages of their legal notice. After their disclaimers that anything you post can be exploited and they won't be held liable they say that you can download pics for personal use but not repost them.

So that journal is gone now and I won't be posting anymore pics from there.

So.

I did it for a laugh knowing it was probably wrong.

What's some of the crazy sh*t you've done for a laugh knowing it could get you busted?

David Works when I'm off. He got a Hernia on the 28th of July. He's been waiting on Worker's Comp to contact him about seeing a surgeon. He got fed up with waiting and went down there. They said they mailed him a letter a week ago. He never got it because the city gave worker's comp the wrong address. They assumed he miraculously got better and were going to close the case.

Anyway, he gets to talk to the surgeon on September 8th. Then he'll get a surgery date. Then 4-6 weeks recovery minimum.

So I get 1 day off a week (usually Thursday) until about the middle to end of October. Don't forget, I'm doing 12 hour days so I really have no time. Get home, 2 beers, go to bed. Lather, rinse, repeat.